Resolution for Cutter and Rayek
|
This is a book that can stand alone from the other books in the Elfquest series, although I feel that most diehard fans will thrill at the idea of a showdown between our longtime hero, Cutter Kinseeker, blood of 10 chiefs and Rayek, master of the floating palace, competitor for Leetah and ultimate personal nemesis for Cutter during the original series. In it we see the magnanimous wisdom and potential of Venka (daughter of Rayek and Kahvi) who was conceived and started as a tool for revenge against Rayek, but has been gentled by the love and wisdom of the Wolfriders. She is as much instrumental in Rayeks realisation that he must find some way to try to reconcile the bitterness in Cutter Kinseeker, having been the cause of our hero's greatest pain through Rayek's own arrogance. The solution he arrives at is puzzling at first, A challenge, one on one, to be held in our old friend Picknose's kingdom. The conclusion to this story had me in tears. I will not spoil the ending but suffice it to say that the recognition of what had passed between the two well placed adversaries was almost as far reaching as if the two had shared an elven "recognition" or "soul bond" as seen with Cutter and Starwise.
Wendy and Richard never fail to move me with their depth of understanding of "the human condition" and their ability to translate this through the medium of art and story. We can all learn about ourselves in these books, and this one is no exception. It teaches us about the pain and anger of bitterness and how it can consume our loves and lives. It also teaches us about the power of human forgiveness and understanding without being overly "preachy". All in all, Rogues Challenge is an incredible story that should not be missed. Long Live Wendy and Richard Pini and their extraordinary extended family of Elfquest.
|
|
|
United States | 
United Kingdom | 
Canada